Garment-supporter



R. GORTON. GARMENT SUPPORTER.

No. 594,006. Patented Nov. 23,1897.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR: I RM in /Jud Tm: mums P5915150: mor o-umo wnsnmamu n c ATENT FFI E ROBERT GORTON, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,006, dated November 23, 1897.

Application filed February 12, 1897. Serial No. 623,158. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT GORTON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-S upporters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a garment-supporter having an improved slidebar buckle so constructed as to permit of the ready insertion and the lengthening and shortening of the attached suspending-webbingand insure the firm grasp and holding of the webbing when set to the desired length.

My object also is incidentally to improve the details of construction of the buckle, so

that it may be of good mechanical construc-- tion and present a neat appearance.

The best ways now known to me of carrying out my invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation showing so much of a hose-supporter as is necessary to illustrate the preferred manner of using my present invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in elevation the parts of the buckle detached, those of sheet metal being shown fiat. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the complete buckle. Fig. 4: is a cross-section therethrough on the line 4 at of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an edge view, partly in section, indicating how the suspendingwebbing is shortened. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the suspending-webbing and the supporting-webbing in their normal operative position. Fig. 7 is an elevation, and Fig. 8 a cross-section therethrough on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7, showinga modified construction of the buckle. Fig. 9 is an elevation, and Fig. 10 a cross-section therethrough on the line 10 10 of Fig. 9, showing still another modified construction. Fig. 11 illustrates a modified construction of the open rectangular frame of the buckle, and Fig. 12 illustrates a modified construction of the slide.

Each figure of the drawings illustrates details of the principal features of my invention, which are set forth in claim 1 ofthis specification-viz., a slide-bar buckle consisting of a frame having upper and lower cross-bars and side bars connecting them, a bar attached to the side bars of the frame adapted to slide thereon and provided with spurs or teeth on its lower edge and with means for the attachment of the webbing, in combination with webbing extending through the frame, between the upper and lower crossbars thereof, and the opposite edges of the slide-bar and around the spurs, and another web attached to the slide-bar and extending downwardly therefrom.

Another feature of my invention which is preferably used in connection with the spurred or toothed slide-bar, but which may be used (so far as the broad feature of this part of the invention is concerned) without the spurs or teeth, is the use of a frame narrower both inside and outside at its central portion than at its upper and lower ends in connection with a bar adapted to slide on the central portion of the frame without abutting against the upper cross-bar thereof,whereby a relatively Wide slot is provided at the upper end of the frame, through which a relatively wide web passes, which covers or partially covers or conceals the side bars of the frame, the side bar being limited in its movement so as at all times to leave an unobstructed slot at thetop of the frame. The construction, as shown, is also such as to limit the downward movement of the slide-bar, and the Webbing also extends through the slot or opening between the slide-bar and the lower crossbar of the frame.

As to the details of construction these are preferably as illustrated in the first six figures of the drawings, in which the frame A is shown of a general rectangular shape and formed by bending a piece of wire to form side bars a a and upper and lower cross-bars. The side bars are preferably set in a little, as indicated, as this results in the formation of projections b, that act as stops to limit the upward movement of the slide and the formation of guides in which the webbing runs. It also causes the webbing, which may be of a width slightly in excess of the width of the central or guideopenin g in the frame, to cover the sides of the frame and the ends of the slide running thereon, as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that when in use only the upper and lower cross-bars of the frame are visible. The end bar of the frame, which in this instance is the lower bar, where the two ends of the wire abut, may be inclosed in a sleeve c,which serves to conceal the ends of the wire and forms a smooth round surface against or past which the webbing draws. The slide D is mounted upon the side bars a of the frame and slides thereon. It may be made of sheet metal and curled over at the ends to form sleeves or eyes that embrace the side bars of the frame. The parts thus curled over are preferably notched, as indicated at e, in line with the slot f, that is formed in the bar, the purpose and effect of which are to allow the full length of the slotf to be utilized, and the recesses formed by so cutting away the metal constitute guides that receive the edge of the webbing. The edge of the slide-bar above the slot may be made smooth and rounded by turning over a lip g, as indicated. The opposite or lower edge of the slide is formed with projecting spurs or teeth h.

The strip of webbing X, which I call the supporting-webbing and to which the garment-supporters are attached, is connected with the slide-bar. In this instance the connection is made by threading the webbing through the slot f and between the upper edge of the slide-bar and the inner edge of the upper cross-bar of the frame. The webbing Y, which I call the suspending-webbing and to which a fastening device, such as a safetypin, is attached and which is usually elastic webbing, is threaded between the upper bar of the frame and tl1e slide-bar, thence across the front of the slide-bar, and thence between the lower edge of the slide-bar, past the spurs or teeth, and the inner edge of the lower crossbar of the frame. 'It will be observed that the webbing X tends to give a downward pull to the slidebar, while the webbing Y exerts a strain in the opposite direction, the effect being to cause the teeth to enter the webbing Y and securely hold it when the parts are in use. It will also be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that the webbing Y conceals the cross bar and also the side bars of the frame. If the free end of the webbing Y be grasped with one hand and the two branches of the webbing X be grasped by the other hand close to the buckle and a strain be applied to the end of the webbing Y, the effect will be that the resulting strain in the opposite direction upon the webbing X will raise the slide-bar, moving its teeth away from the lower cross-bar of the frame, and the webbing Y may be readily drawn past the teeth to shorten it. On the other hand, if it be desired to lengthen the webbing Y it is only necessary to hold the webbing X, as before, at the slide or the slide by the sides and pull up the loop of webbing lying over the face of the buckle, exerting the strain in such direction as to draw the free end of the webbing up between the teeth of the slide and the lower cross-bar of the frame. The webbing cannot slip in use, as any strain applied to the Webbing draws the slide down, and the teeth thereon engage the webbing Y and hold it securely. The webbing X, to which the garment-supporters are attached,

may be readily drawn through the slide-bar to equalize the length of the two ends or to make one longer than the other, as may be desired; but when the strain is applied the webbing holds in its adjusted position. In some cases only a single length of webbing X, carrying a single clasp or supporter, is employed, and in that event the upper end of the webbing may be threaded through the slide in the manner shown and stitched or otherwise secured upon itself.

There are numerous ways in which the buckle may be constructed and used in connection with. webbing and yet be within the scope of my invent-ion. I have illustrated a few other ways. For instance, in Figs. 7 and 8 the open rectangular frame is shown as struck up from sheet metal, leaving wings on each of the four sides, those g g at the upper and lower ends being turned over to give a rounded edge and those a a at the sides being bent inwardly to form ways or grooves a in which the straight or flat ends of the slide-bar D work. Figs. 9 and 10 show a similar construction, except that the sides are formed with projections Z) near their ends and the slide is bent up from a length of wire whose two pointed ends IL form the spurs or teeth of the slide-bar. Fig. 11 shows a portion of the rectangular frame cut out of sheet metal and having projections 12' extending inwardly from the side bars adjacent to the upper end of the frame. Fig. 12 shows a frame made of wire and the ends of the sheet-metal slide split so that the central tongue cl may be bent in one direction and the tongues d on each side thereof in the opposite direction, so as to form open jaws that run upon side bars of the frame.

If the frame shown in Figs. 2 and 3 were constructed with straight sides, as shown in Fig. 7, instead of indented, as preferred, my object would be attained as to holding power, although the device would then lack the advantages derived from the other features of the form preferred.

All of the embodiments of my invention shown are simple and efficient, but obviously my invention may be embodied in constructions diflering in detail from those illustrated.

I claim as my invention- 1. A slide'bar buckle consisting of a frame having upper and lower cross-bars and side bars connecting them, a bar attached to the side bars of the frame adapted to slide thereon and provided with spurs or teeth on its lower edge, and with means for the attachment of awebbing, in combination with webbing extending through the frame between the upper and lower cross-bars thereof, and the opposite edges of the slide-bar, and around the spurs and another web attached to the slide-bar and extending downwardly therefrom.

2. A s1ide-bar buckle consisting of a frame having upper and lower cross-bars and side bars connecting them, and a bar attached to the side barsof the frame adapted to slide thereon, provided with spurs or teeth on its lower edge, and with means for attaching a webbing, in combination with webbing extending through the frame between the upper and lower cross-bars thereof and the opposite edges of the slide-bar, and around the spurs and another web attached to the slide-bar and adapted to exert a downward pull thereon to cause the spurs or teeth to en gage the firstmentioned webbing.

3. A slide-bar buckle consisting of a frame having upper and lower cross-bars and side bars connecting them, a slotted toothed bar attached to the side bars of the frame and adapted to slide thereon, in combination with a web extending through the frame between the upper and lower-oross-bars and the opposite edges of the slide-bar, and around the spurs and another Web extending through the slot of the slide-bar and over the upper edge thereof and adapted to exert a downward pull thereon to cause the spurs to engage the first-mentioned webbing.

4. A buckle consisting of an open frame narrower both inside and outside at its cen tral portion than at its upper and lower ends, and a bar mounted to slide on the central portion of the frame without abutting against the upper cross-bar thereof, whereby relatively wide slots (the upper one of which is always unobstructed) are provided at the ends of the frame to permit the insertion of a relatively wide webbing that covers or partially covers and conceals the side bars of the frame in combination with webbing extending through said slots.

5. A slide-bar buckle consisting of an open rectangular frame formed of a bent length of wire and having the sides set in to form guides for a slide-bar and to provide widened openings for the webbing at the top and bottom of the frame, and a central portion which is narrower both inside and outside than the upper and lower ends of the frame, and a slide-bar struck up from sheet metal with its ends curled around the sides of the frame formed with a slot and having projecting spurs or teeth on its lower edge in combination with webbing extending through the slots or openings above and below the slide-bar and other webbing extending through the slot in the slide-bar.

6. A slide-bar buckle consisting of an open rectangular frame formed of a bent length of wire, and a slide-bar struck up from sheet metal with its ends curled around the sides of the frame formed with a slot and having the curled-over edges of the metal cut away opposite the ends of the slot in combination with webbing extending through to the rectan gular frame and other Webbing extending through the slot of the slide-bar.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

M. M. KENNEDY, EDWIN P. Foss. 

